By Prisca Anan
After a successful excursion in the Karamoja sub-region, the URA Tax Education Outreach team has set its sights on the Teso sub-region. Now camped in the heart of the Ateker in Soroti, the tujenge team is on a mission to ensure compliance through door-to-door taxpayer visits and the mobile tax office.
This week-long excursion, running from February 10th to 14th, 2025, begins with three days in Soroti, followed by drives through Kumi, Bukedea, and Kachumbala.
During this time, the Tax Outreach teams, in partnership with the Station, will primarily focus on educating taxpayers about their rights and obligations to encourage compliance. The bus will also support taxpayers in remote areas with registration and assist with any other tax-related inquiries.
“Our expectations are high for this Soroti excursion. We aim to surpass the Station’s monthly target of 22 million, just as we did in Karamoja. While doing so, we will uphold URA’s core values of Patriotism, Integrity, and Professionalism,” said Samuel Kanakulya, Team Lead of the Tax Education Outreach team for the Soroti trail.
Kanakulya specifically emphasized the importance of providing a positive client experience.
Hawa, a retail shop proprietor, shared her experience with URA, saying it was “otherworldly.” “I used to think that URA officials were harsh, but they treated me with respect and kindness, and I’ve paid my taxes.”
Carlos Emokol, Acting Station Head for Soroti noted that since the Tujenge Bus team hit the ground the figures have been speaking for themselves.
“The team has collected over 21.6 million in revenue during its the first two days of the door-to-door drives, almost reaching our monthly target of 22.5 million in presumptive tax. We’re confident that by the end of the week, the Tujenge activities will help us cover the annual deficit we had accumulated in December.”
Emokol also requested that the Tujenge team return in June to provide additional support during the critical run-up to the financial year-end.
This excursion is a prelude to similar activities scheduled to take place in the North and Eastern parts of the country next week.
